The investigation of Neandertal projectile technology through controlled ballistic experimentes aimed at understanding impact fractures. Acronym: NeProTECH
Final Report Abstract
In the last few decades, zooarchaeological studies have demonstrated beyond doubt that the hunting abilities of hominins were quite formidable from quite early on. Unfortunately, direct evidence for the use of weapons in hunting is quite rare and depends heavily on the preservation of organic elements. In particular, in the absence of such evidence, it is notoriously difficult to pinpoint the first appearance of complex, mechanically-assisted projectiles (such as darts and arrows) in the archaeological record. Such identifications are instead based on ‘diagnostic impact fractures’ (DIFs), assumed to form as a result of collisions between the much more often preserved stone tips and organic materials in the prey body. However, demonstrating weapon use from damage patterns on stone tools requires documenting an impact speed and/or kinetic energy beyond those likely to occur accidentally or as a by-product of other tasks. In order to investigate the influence of speed and kinetic energy, the most relevant physical parameters that characterize the use of penetrative weapons, we devised a series of controlled ballistic experiments. In the first experiment, the effect of increasing velocity in a flying javelin or dart was examined. In the second experiment, thrusting spear action was imitated. By controlling for the weapon tip shape, weight, and raw material, impact angle (IA), as well as target composition, we were able to focus on the single effect of changing velocity and kinetic energy output. We show that realistic DIFs can be produced under these controlled conditions. Further, the impact angle plays an important role in determining if a fracture will occur and, likewise, in how large it is likely to be. In contrast to previous studies, this study could not establish any relationship between either initiation or termination type and the impact speed of the projectile. Therefore, we conclude that ‘step-terminating bending fractures’ should not be considered diagnostic of weapon use without further supporting evidence. The results of the comparison between thrust and flying weapons confirm previous results that suggest that comparatively more fractures occur during thrusting than in flying projectiles. Methodologically, we were also able to confirm Hutchings’s (2011) relationship between precursory loading rate and fracture propagation speed, documenting a weak linear relationship between the two in our sample. However, despite the confirmation, we caution that archaeological samples of need to be quite large before concluding that a particular technology was or was not used. In terms of public outreach, the project was presented in one public lecture and featured on German national radio (Deutschland Funk). »Spitze Verteidigung« – Forschung Aktuell, Deutschland Funk, 7. August 2012. www.dradio.de/dlf/sendungen/forschak/1833280/ »Unterwegs mit dem steinzeitlichen Waffeninspektor?«, Sparkasse Vortragsreihe, 22. Mai 2012, Neuwied. http://web.rgzm.de/1245.html
Publications
- Controlled ballistic experiments with glass replicas of Levallois points,” Multidisciplinary Scientific Approaches to the Study of Stone Age Weaponry, Mainz, 21. September 2011
Iovita, R., H. Schönekeß, F. Jäger, S. Gaudzinski-Windheuser
- 2012. “Factors influencing the production of projectile diagnostic impact fracture: results from a new ballistic experimental protocol.” International conference on use-wear analysis, Faro, Portugal, 20. Oktober 2012
Iovita, R., H. Schönekeß, F. Jäger, S. Gaudzinski-Windheuser
- “Controlled ballistic experiments with glass replicas of Levallois points: the effects of speed and kinetic energy,” 6th Experimental Archaeology Conference, York, Vereinigtes Königreich, 7. Januar 2012
Iovita, R., H. Schönekeß, F. Jäger, S. Gaudzinski-Windheuser
- “Investigating Paleolithic projectile armatures and delivery systems: results from a new controlled ballistic experiment.” European Society for the Study of Human Evolution (ESHE), Bordeaux, Frankreich, 22. September 2012
Iovita, R., H. Schönekeß, F. Jäger, S. Gaudzinski-Windheuser
- (2013) Projectile impact fractures and launching mechanisms: results of a controlled ballistic experiment using replica Levallois points. J Archaeol Sci: 1–13
Iovita R, Schönekeß H, Gaudzinski-Windheuser S, Jäger F
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2013.01.031)
